Wednesday, October 31, 2012

HARRISBURG, Pa. (BP) -- Wind, flood, fire and snow have combined to displace thousands of residents in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut and West Virginia. Southern Baptist Disaster Relief volunteers are on their way to the hardest-hit areas in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, bringing help and hope in the midst of crisis.

"We have probably not had a single-event response request of this level since Hurricane Katrina."

-- Fritz Wilson, DR exec dir

Southern Baptist church planter Wayne Burton in Jersey City, N.J., is among the millions living in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy. Burton and his wife Erin moved to the city several years ago to put down roots and begin planting a church.

As the storm approached, the Burtons prepared their apartment before evacuating to a nearby hotel. Returning home early Tuesday, they were met with extensive flooding that had reached into their apartment and destroyed most of their belongings.

"As Southern Baptist Disaster Relief we have a hope and a ministry" to come alongside the Burtons as they labor with Jersey City residents in the daunting recovery that lies ahead, Bruce Poss, DR coordinator for the North American Mission Board. Poss is the Southern Baptist liaison with the Federal Emergency Management Agency serving in Washington, D.C., for the response to Hurricane Sandy. "This is our time to do what God has commissioned us to do."

SBDR units from across the country were heading toward staging areas in New York and New Jersey Wednesday and assessments and requests for assistance were being made. One of the largest requests, for as many as 100,000 meals per day, has come from New York City. Read More

NEW YORK CITY (BP) -- The death toll from Hurricane Sandy had risen to at least 50 people Wednesday as 6 million electric customers remained without power in the Northeast, crippled by damaged infrastructures and hazardous floodwater. Amid the devastation, Southern Baptists rallied to help. Read More

WASHINGTON (BP) -- A Chinese government institute has recommended Beijing revoke its "one-child" policy that has forced abortion and sterilization upon millions of its citizens during the last three decades. Read More

OLYMPIA, Wash. (BP) -- Gay marriage laws in Washington state and Maryland are in danger of being overturned by voters, according to new polls that were released after traditional groups went on the air with television ads warning of the consequences of marriage redefinition.

Both new polls show traditional groups making up significant ground in the span of a few weeks.

In Washington state, Referendum 74 to legalize gay marriage is too close to call, with supporters of R-74 leading 49-4... Read More

WASHINGTON (BP) -- Violence against homosexuals overseas should be opposed, but their rights should not take precedence over religious freedom, said a Southern Baptist church-state expert.

"We certainly don't think people should be imprisoned or discriminated against because of their sexual orientation; we also don't think they should have special protections," Richard Land told Baptist Press.

[QUOTE@left@180="We certainly don't think people should be imprisoned or discriminated ag... Read More

by Tiffany Owens/World on Campus, posted Wednesday, October 31, 2012 (6 years ago)

NASHVILLE (BP) -- Becca, Lauren and Alyssa Barlow crowded in front of a computer camera on Monday night (Oct. 29) to bid their fans a final farewell after 10 years of singing, touring and recording together as the sister-trio BarlowGirl.

Lauren, 27, explained in the live chat that the transition happened as they sat down to write a new album. As they prayed, she and her two sisters realized God "had something new" for them.

"We asked God what to do.... God revealed He has something ne... Read More

Formed in 1946 by the Southern Baptist Convention, and supported with Cooperative Program funds, Baptist Press (BP) is a daily (Monday-Friday) international news service. Operating from a central bureau in Nashville, Tenn., BP works with a large network of contributing writers, photographers and editorial providers to produce BP News.